Thursday, November 02, 2006

The Learning Style of Pooh

A.A. Milne was a great author and an even better observer. The characters in his “Winnie the Pooh” books all have very distinctive personalities. Pooh, for example, is a very easy-going, likeable bear, who is slow and doesn't get upset very easily. Tigger loves to try new things and will barge ahead, full of false confidence, living in the moment. Eeyore is the eternal pessimist.

Now, A.A. Milne wrote the books a long time before Learning Styles were discovered, but even so, it’s not difficult to analyse the Learning Styles of the Hundred Acre Wood dwellers.

Pooh is a reflective person. He is a problem-solver who needs intake when thinking (it could be honey or Roo’s watercress sandwiches). Piglet, who is frightened of almost everything, has a definite non-preference for change and relies on other people to give structure to the tasks he tackles. Rabbit is a highly analytic animal who loves order and doing things the correct way. Tigger is impulsive and thrives on change. Roo loves his friends and would probably learn best with a peer, and he’d like his work overseen by authority figures. Kanga is a multi-tasker (the way all mothers are). Owl works best in a quiet place and at night (he sleeps most of the day). Eeyore has a high persistency: he keeps rebuilding his house, which always falls down or gets knocked down by butterflies.

What about you: are you an impulsive or reflective thinker? Are you analytic, holistic, or a bit of both? Do you know what environment best suits your learning and what causes unnecessary stress in your life?

To find out the answer to these questions, or to learn more about Learning Styles, please visit us on www.creativelearningcentre.com.

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